Groups criticize House GOP's 'radical' family-planning proposal

Thursday

Apr 19, 2012 at 12:01 AMApr 19, 2012 at 11:20 AM

As some legislative Republicans yesterday offered lukewarm support for a GOP plan to cut off federal family-planning funds for Planned Parenthood, Democrats continued a "war on women" line of attack as other groups also criticized the proposal.

Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch

As some legislative Republicans yesterday offered lukewarm support for a GOP plan to cut off federal family-planning funds for Planned Parenthood, Democrats continued a “war on women” line of attack as other groups also criticized the proposal.

“Republicans are launching a sneak attack to carry out one of their most radical, ideological goals,” said Rep. Nancy Garland, D-New Albany.

House Republicans added an amendment on Tuesday to Gov. John Kasich’s mid-biennium review that would reprioritize federal funds used for family-planning services, including contraception. Under the proposal, local public health departments get the top funding priority, followed by federally qualified community health centers, private primary-care centers and, last, Planned Parenthood and other stand-alone family planning centers.

Opponents say the change would likely cut off this source of funds for Planned Parenthood which, as prescribed by federal law, cannot use the money for abortions.

Planned Parenthood in Ohio got $1.5 million from the Family Planning Grant in 2010, according to the Ohio Department of Health. (Planned Parenthood said the organization received $1.7 million.)

Abortion foes backing the proposal say there are other options for low-income women seeking health care and family-planning services. Mike Gonidakis, executive director of Ohio Right to Life, said increasing numbers of women are going to community health centers and local health boards, “ and we need to make sure those dollars go to them.”

“This isn’t so much about abortion as it is about funding the abortion industry,” he said.

Funds are awarded through a competitive process. “If other providers can yield better health outcomes, why don’t they simply apply for funding?” Lisa Perks, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio, asked the House Finance Committee.

Perks said that not all health departments or community health centers provide family-planning services. “Of those that do, not all accept new patients.”

A half-dozen witnesses testified against the amendment. Outside of a few, largely technical questions by Rep. Ron Amstutz, a Wooster Republican and the committee chairman, Republicans offered no push-back.

“There is a war over the morality of how we view life in this country,” Amstutz said after the hearing. “I think we’re finding it’s moving in the direction of life, and this is another attempt to keep moving in that direction.”

He added: “This is not about not providing the services, it’s about who provides the services. The goal is to have service providers that don’t promote abortion to have the first opportunity to receive these funds.”

Rep. Cheryl Grossman, R-Grove City, a member of House GOP leadership and the Finance Committee, said she was unaware the amendment was being added and, like several colleagues on the panel, wanted to study it.

Rep. Anne Gonzales, R-Westerville, said she is concerned about the impact on women in rural areas. Rep. Mike Duffey, R-Worthington, said he prefers to have it considered as a separate bill, rather than as part of the mid-biennium review.

Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, said he also was unaware of the amendment and was reserving judgment. “Provisions like this have been discussed in previous general assemblies, and most of them dealt with defunding Planned Parenthood to prevent them from providing abortion services,” he said. “It’s my understanding that federal law already prohibits the funds from being used for abortion services.”

Three of 32 Planned Parenthood clinics in Ohio perform abortions. More than 96?percent of the group’s services are not abortion-related, and it serves nearly 100,000 people, largely low-income women.

“Who are they to dictate where women can go?” asked Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, during a news conference yesterday. “To just arbitrarily put a target on the back of Planned Parenthood cuts against the rhetoric of personal rights. For people who tout small government ... they don’t mind having big government in women’s wombs.”

Justin Conley, a fellow in the Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Statehouse News Bureau, contributed to this story.

jsiegel@dispatch.com

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